Letters to the Editor 5-27-16

May 27, 2016

Opinion

Mike Morgan for County Supervisor

To the Editor:

Mike Morgan is the best candidate to represent the community with the issues facing the 3rd District. His vast experience in government, will provide the board, with the solid and dynamic leadership we need.

His accomplishments are many because of his innovative ideas. He has the passion to serve the cities in the 3rd District. His background and depth of commitment make him the clear choice.

Please join me in voting for Mike Morgan for County Supervisor. He is the 6th on the list.

Al Escoto, Former

Mayor of Santa Paula

Sincere thanks

On behalf of the Santa Paula Chapter of America in Bloom (AIB) and the Santa Clara Valley Hospice Home Support Group we would like to express our sincere thanks for the community support for our recent Giant Flower Sale which was held on April 23rd and 24th. The funds generated by this event help enable the AIB to maintain the beautiful hanging baskets and flower pots along the streets of our historic downtown, and help our Hospice Support Group provide badly needed medical support equipment and transportation services to those most in need in our community.

We are particularly grateful to Automotive Racing Products (ARP) for the generous use of their property on Hallock Dr. that was formerly the Ford Sales and Service facility. This was an ideal location to display the thousands of plants we had for sale that provided plenty of parking and security for our event. As well, we want to thank the Santa Paula Optimist’s Club for help with the parking.

We are also grateful to the many plant breeders and nurseries in our area who generously donated the flowers and vegetables that made this event possible: Armstrong Growers, Green Fuse Botanical Inc., Suntory Flowers, Ball Horticulture, Flamingo Holland, and Future Farmers of America. We would also like to thank Mike Mobley of Progressive Land Management and Chris Wilson who generously loaned us vehicles to transport these plants from the nurseries.

We must also extend thanks to the University of Calif. Hanson Agricultural Trust for their loan of much needed wheelbarrows used by patrons at our flower sale. And we thank Recology of Ventura for providing needed trash services.

Our sincere thanks must also go out to the dozens of volunteers who worked tirelessly at this event, and in particular the large contingent of young kids from our local Future Farmers of America who worked long hard hours prior to and during the sale. We would not have been able to stage such an event without that level of support.

Thanks must also be given to Don and Debbie Johnson at the Santa Paula Times and Peggy Kelly for her wonderful articles that helped publicize our sale, and Seana-Maria Sesma of Xibeo for marketing and graphic designs.

And last of all we want to thank the hundreds of people in our community who have supported our event with their generous plant purchases. Your contributions do help make a difference in our City.

Gary Nasalroad

Dianne Davis

America in Boom Santa Paula and Santa Clara Valley Hospice Group

I endorse Martin Hernandez

To the Editor:

It is my pleasure and honor to endorse Martin Hernandez for County Supervisor, 3rd District. He is well qualified to serve having worked for incumbent Supervisor Kathy Long for fifteen years, the last 5 as her chief of staff. He has extensive knowledge of the issues and concerns of the district’s constituents, a deep understanding of the workings of county government, and congenial relationships with his colleagues and numerous stakeholders.\

As senior executive administrative aide to Mrs. Long, I had worked with Martin for 10 years and have seen Martin’s ability to adeptly solve constituents’ problems by actively listening to their concerns, showing sensitivity and compassion, and bringing together all parties to reach a consensus outcome.

Martin has what it takes to be a successful leader. Please vote for Martin Hernandez in the June 7th primary.

Gail Robinson

Ventura

Vote No on P

To The Editor:

Last year, I asked the Santa Paula School Board to approve a very simple policy: Allow high schoolers who live in our community but who attend nearby private schools to participate in Santa Paula athletic programs. Several local youth athletic leaders spoke in favor of the policy and more than 300 members of our community signed a spontaneous petition in support of it.

But three members of the School Board – Tina Urias, Diana Ponce-Gomez, and Chris Wilson – voted down the proposal. And they did so summarily, rudely, and irrationally. Now they want me and other members of the community to support a massive tax increase to support schools that they do not want all members of our community to enjoy? No.

David A. Shaneyfelt

Santa Paula

Support Martin Hernandez

To the Editor:

I would like to urge the citizens of Ventura County to please consider voting for Martin Hernandez for supervisor, in the 3rd district county supervisor seat.

Martin Hernandez is a man and neighbor I have known for over 42 years. A man of honor, integrity, and honesty, who is willing to serve all the people, all the time.

This man has been my neighbor for many years. He is helpful to all his neighbors, and was the first to offer his help to me after my wife died a few years ago.

Martin Hernandez will do well as supervisor, and will let Santa Paula and his entire district know he is there for them.

Please show your support. Vote Martin Hernandez on June 7.

Sincerely,

Raymond D. Herrera

Santa Paula

Vote for Martin Hernandez

To the Editor:

I would like to encourage voters to mark their ballots on June 7th for Martin Hernandez as Third District Supervisor for the County of Ventura. Having worked in the County for over 33 years, the last 12 as your County Auditor Controller, I had the pleasure of working directly with Martin Hernandez on a regular basis. As Chief of Staff for Supervisor Kathy Long, Martin always had a calming presence and was easy to talk to. I found him trustworthy, knowledgeable and a loyal public servant. He is known for promoting cooperation, handling complex issues, and anticipating the impacts of decisions made. From the first time I met Martin, I noted that he had the unique ability to connect with people. As I began to work with him more, I knew that he was destined to be part of the County’s leadership. It is my practice and discipline to judge success based on effectiveness and efficiency. I believe that the County will be most successful in having Martin Hernandez as our Third District Supervisor since he does not need to waste time acclimating to the role of Supervisor. I also believe that Martin’s extensive experience in the military, health service profession, and local government (City and County) will make him the most effective Supervisor for the Third District.

Christine Cohen, Ventura County Auditor-Controller, Ret.

Dear Santa

Paula voters

To the Editor:

I attended the City Council meeting where 45 angry citizens spoke out against the proposed peaker plant for Santa Paula. There was NO spokesperson for the Santa Paula peaker plant. They asked the Mayor to have the Council take a position against this peaker plant. This idea was declined because it isn’t within the city boundary. The Council could have taken a position, but didn’t. Shame on them. It showed they will not take a strong stand.

ONLY 3rd District candidate Carla Castilla has publicly come out against the peaker plant for Santa Paula. Vote for Carla!

Helen Conly, Board of Directors CFROG

(Citizens for Responsible Oil & Gas) www.cfrog.org

Accountability!

To the Editor:

There should be accountability in all areas of government: Federal, County AND City. Some of the frustration in our nation today is accountability is not forthcoming. The same goes for the City of Santa Paula.

I would be glad to support a possible 1 % sales tax increase to support the police and fire departments if the increase and disbursements were accounted for on a regular basis (i.e. every 3 months in the Santa Paula Times)!

Also, we need an accounting for Parks and Recreation Funds, bonds for the school district including the one we’re paying on our County property tax bill and in future bonds.

In the past, our city enacted a Redevelopment fee. The only thing I know for sure is that the city bout the old defunct movie theater and rehabbed a building in the 900 block of Main Street. Many loans should have been made to update our older homes. In the last year the program was discontinued. Please! Accountability; where did the monies go, what balance was left?

Are there really Lottery Funds that trickle down to our schools? How much in the last 5 years and where did those funds go? Please account where our tax dollars are being spent and how. We, the public, deserve to know. Accountability!

Margaret Burleson-Turner

Santa Paula

Support Martin Hernandez

To the Editor:

I support Martin Hernandez for Third District Supervisor. In my opinion, Martin is the only candidate with proven experience, an honest reputation, and a genuine passion for public service. Remarkably, it is his capacity for cultivating relationships that sets Martin Hernandez apart from the other candidates. Martin has spent over 20 years serving the communities of Ventura County, building valuable relationships and earning the public’s trust.

Healthy working relationships do not get built overnight. They are developed over time and grow best from the ground up. These relationships are the result of having survived the true test of time; together celebrating the highs and recovering from the lows. Connecting with people and making them feel that they count is a gift that has served Martin well. He does not use people as a means to an end. Martin gets relationships right.

Equipped with the legacy of fostering relationships and 25 plus years of institutional knowledge, Martin is ready to launch forward on Day One. He will not come with a training curve or waste taxpayers’ money trying to figure out “who’s who”. He will not have to learn how to navigate county government. He knows already our community stakeholders from the executive leadership to the line staff. Having worked as Mayor of Santa Paula and Chief of Staff for Supervisor Kathy Long, he knows well the functions of government administration at both the city and county levels.

Martin’s ability to lead the Third District into the next four years is unmatched. As a resident of Port Hueneme and a member of the Santa Paula community, I Invite you to join me in voting for Martin Hernandez.

Laura D. Hernandez

Adjunct Professor, California State University Channel Islands

Former Assistant Director, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office of Emergency Services

We Need

Mike Morgan

To the Editor:

Santa Clara Valley needs Mike Morgan. He is a friend to us. We will have a friend in the County Board of Supervisors with Mike representing us there.

Both of the last two county supervisors have NOT been Santa Clara Valley friendly. We have become the county’s dumping ground. Other cities cry, they don’t want it in their city. So it gets dumped in the Santa Clara Valley.

Santa Clara Valley is a beautiful place with the best weather year round.

First; The Toland Road, then its residual.

Second; The jail, and its residual. Now they want to expand it. More prisoners and that means their families move near by. More crime.

Third; The chemical plant, and it residual, illegal chemicals and then there was a fire. One of our firefighters was disabled and had to retire from the fire department.

Fourth; Now they want to dump the Peacker plant.

What else are they going to try to dump over here?

We need respect. We need a friend who’ll look out for us. We’ve got to stop it. We don’t want more of the same. We need someone to listen to us when we go speak at the county meetings and not ignore our concerns.

Mike Morgan has many ideas for our area that would make it a greater place. He has done so much for Camarillo to make it great. He can also do that here. He will make the Santa Clara Valley greater.